Warriors Dawn of a New Day
by candyapple111
Summary: My first story, so tell me how I am doing!A possibly dangerous prophecy faces the clans of Cliffclan, Oceanclan, Treeclan, and Shadeclan. Will they survive?... Or will the land be empty forever...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: The Start**

_**From the shadows, trouble will arise.**_

**_The clans must group together, in order to survive._**

_**When night takes over day, and all hope is gone, **_

_**Look to the north, and for the false dawn.**_

"What does this mean?" the leader of Cliffclan, Sandstar, mewed worriedly to the medicine cat. Mosstail's eyes lost their prophecy glaze as she started pacing by the entrance to the cave.

Sandstar was the new leader, having started only a moon ago. She still looked for the council of the older, and wiser, cats. So far, it had been enough. She had had Mosstail's wise advice always at the ready. But this time, Mosstail was just as hopelessly lost as Sandstar.

"I'm not sure. But have you noticed? The animals in the plain have begun to act differently. They hide more, go out less. The trees and plants have been growing faster, but medicinal plants are becoming scarce," Mosstail meowed back.

"Do you think the weather could cause those symptoms, or does the prophecy affect them too?"

Mosstail sat down wearily. "I don't know."

Sandstar eyed her with concern. Mosstail had weathered many seasons and it was becoming apparent in her fur and bones. Her once thick brown fur and golden eyes were both becoming dull. Her bones creaked. Yet her spirit was strong and her mind was clearer than when she was an apprentice. Because of this, she flat out refused to be treated like an elder.

On the other hand, Sandstar was young and at the age where she was demanding the same treatment from the older cats as they did each other. She didn't want attention from the toms because she was pretty, no; she wanted the attention because of her achievements and talent. She was beginning to get her way with that.

Still, it isn't to say that Sandstar didn't look good. But she wasn't glamorous, either. She had shiny gold-orange fur with white paws, and white smudged tail. Her eyes were green.

But back to the point.

"I wonder what it means when it mentions a false dawn to the north. That would be the opposite direction from Oceanclan, and the sun rises from behind Treeclan! I really wish Starclan had told you more. Why do they always talk in riddles?"

"Sandstar! Why do you speak of Starclan like that? They work in their way."

Sandstar rose and motioned for Mosstail to follow her out of the cave.

"It was stuffy in there", she said as way of explanation.

Out in the open clearing, Sandstar faced Mosstail and asked, "What is your council on this? Do you have any idea of what this means?"

She searched the medicine cat's face for answers, but didn't expect to find any.

"Of course I have ideas! I have many ideas. I _always _have ideas, about anything! But none of my ideas could possibly explain anything. We need the support of the clan. Call a clan meeting tomorrow, or today. But first, bring in Ashwhisker."

Although Sandstar was shocked by the tone of command in the medicine cat's voice, she did as Mosstail instructed and called in Cliffclan's deputy.

Ashwhisker slunk in, his long tail waving and head held high. His smoky grey head remained high, even after the news was told. He wasn't one for "petty" emotion-showing.

"Very well. We will call a clan meeting", he stated. Sandstar nodded and brushed past him and out of the cave. She strode to the large boulder which was the center point of the camp.

This boulder was bordered on two sides (with some space in-between) by two large granite cliffs; one of which bordered the ocean, to the west. The other cliff bordered Oceanclan, to the south.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey come to Centerrock for a clan meeting!" Sandstar yowled. Her powerful voice echoed off the cliffs and disappeared into the roar of the ocean.

Slowly cats materialized from caves shielded by grass and shrubs. The four elders were the last to come out; they had been enjoying their afternoon meal together.

The five new kits were left in the nursery along with the new mothers, Wheatfeather and Snowpelt. The queens would later be told of what had happened through their mates.

"Cliffclan, I have grave news." Ashwhisker broke into the meeting with that dreary sentence.

"Not as much _grave, _as _curious_", Sandstar interrupted so to quell the frightened looks of the clan members. She cast Ashwhisker a furious glance.

"What we have now is a prophecy. Mosstail?" she glanced over, "Do you remember much of it?"

"Of course, Sandstar."

Mosstail retold the prophecy to the cats. As anxious yowling started, Sandstar calmly motioned for the cats to stop talking.

"The reason," she looked at each cat in turn, "I have decided to tell my clan the prophecy that I could have so easily made sure I and Mosstail would be the only to know, was because I know you want to be prepared. Who says this prophecy foretells a bad thing? How are we to know until it happens? Even so, we need to be prepared."

Sandstar stepped off Centerrock and headed back to the cave, her tail gently waving. She left Ashwhisker to settle the clan.

Later that night, in a fitful sleep, Sandstar was struck with the obvious.

"Shadeclan!" she yelped into the night.

Still half asleep, her groggy mind put together all that had happened recently with the prophecy.

First, it was Shadeclan's former leader's death. The old leader, Stonestar, had supposedly been poisoned with deathberry after eating his evening meal. His replacement, Burrstar, hadn't caused actual trouble yet, but was obviously power hungry and ambitious to the point of crazed actions. He had been making threats to Treeclan and Oceanclan, his border clans, by putting many extra patrols on the border to guard the camp (even though no one was trying to get in) and heavily guarded any visitors to the clan. That included medicine cats on the way to the Glowrock. Luckily Cliffclan wasn't being bothered as much by Shadeclan because they were at opposite corners to each other. However, distrust towards Shadeclan had been growing for a very long while.

Then there was the behavior of the prey. Even the shorebirds of Oceanclan, they were told at the last Gathering, were flighty and sometimes covered with thick black goo which sickened cats. Cliffclan's prey rabbits were starting to acquire the same smell.

Finally, Sandstar came to the conclusion her mind had been looking for. Obviously, Shadeclan would be the shadows mentioned in the prophecy and would probably attack the clans one by one to control all of them. The false dawn would probably be some attack maneuver thought up by a clan. She didn't have a clue about the rest of it, though.

Sandstar vowed to tell the rest of her clan of the breakthrough, once morning came around. Until then, Sandstar would sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note- I don't own warriors, so don't try to pull that one on me! I do, however, own my little made up characters! (Just not certain ones- I credit my guild for giving me some characters!) (Yay for Sandystar!!)**

**By the way, I'm halfway through the 4th chapter already!!! I just have to type it up!!!!!**

During the night, Mosstail, like all the other medicine cats, had another dream. This time, no prophecy was voiced. The message was clear enough.

_Mosstail was sitting at the edge of a moon washed clearing with large towering trees surrounding it. In the direct center were two large boulders, one sitting precariously on top of the other. Both the boulders were at least ten times the height of a cat._

_After Mosstail had gazed at this scene for a few minutes, the top boulder started to move. At first it appeared to move with the breeze, but then Mosstail realized that there was none. Imperceptively at first, but with gathering speed, the boulder moves back and forth. Mosstail is not alarmed. She simply watches as it wobbles, barely managing to stay balanced each time._

_Then something does change. The full moon above the clearing suddenly lets down a powerful ray of moonlight, which floods the entire clearing, except for the boulders. The boulders remain dark, lit only by the faint light of the stars. _

_Then, slowly, cats begin to materialize. Mosstail's eyes widen as she recognizes her leader and clanmates among them._

_The cats collect around the boulders. A sort of humming fills the air as they are exited by the cold presence of the rocks._

_Before Mosstail could shout an alarm, and without the cats noticing, something slips and the top boulder slowly starts rolling. As it falls, it gathers speed until it is a blur moving through the shadows. It looms over the milling cats below as if it were a hawk swooping on an unsuspecting rodent. _

_Just before hitting the ground, both rocks come out of the shadows and are showered with a blinding light. Only then did the clans notice the boulder falling, falling, looming closer and closer…Now it is too late to save them. Only at the last second did the cats yowl in fear and alarm…_

_Mosstail is back in the clearing. It is now pitch dark, but she can smell the presence of…something. She also smells blood. Sounds and smells start whirling in her head. Unable to bear it, she rocks back and forth, trying to clear her skull. All around her are high pitched yowls of fear and the sharp smell of anger…_

_A calming voice settles Mosstail. A gentle looking pure white shecat with a dark mask walks up to her, and rubs against her, purring. Mosstail realizes the cat is Ivynight, former medicine cat of Cliffclan. After all that Mosstail had seen, Ivynight's voice fills her with calm and peace._

"_Whatever you do, Mosstail", she said "Never lose hope."_

_Mosstail turned to look at her, but she was gone._

At the same time that Mosstail was having her dream, Ashwhisker was finally settling down for the night. That day, saltwater had found its way into his cave (empty except for him, thanks to the large amount of caves along the cliff), making it unsuitable for sleep, so he was forced to spend the night elsewhere. Sandstar had offered to let him spend the night in her cave, and that was where he was headed. Although he was touched by this act of kindness, he was confused as well. Did that mean Sandstar felt the same way about him as her did her? But being the decisive tom he was, he took it for a sign and stopped thinking about it.

Instead, he focused on her beautiful face, her shimmering layers of fur. Of course, he had never admitted it to anyone, but ever since he was an apprentice, he had been completely smitten with her. He was sure his clanmates had guessed. It was probably his air of indifference around her that gave it away. Luckily, Sandstar appeared not to have noticed his fascination.

Ashwhisker made his way across the clearing, the moon throwing shadows everywhere that made caves yawning holes of darkness waiting to swallow him up. Finally he came to the willow that marked the entrance to the leader's cave. Climbing past knotted roots and small rocks and pebbles, he made his way into the cave. Although the cave was comfortable, it wasn't big; so he really didn't expect to see Sandstar in there. He was sure she would go spend the night somewhere else.

Imagine his surprise when he saw Sandstar's sleeping form already in the cave. His fur tingled, whether in apprehension or excitement he didn't know, to think he would be this close to Sandstar the entire night.

Walking in, Ashwhisker accidentally woke Sandstar up. She stared at him incomprehensibly for a second.

"Sandstar, you invited me to spend the night here, since my cave is flooded."

"Ohhh… yes, I remember now. Come! Sit! Make yourself comfortable!"

Subconsciously, Ashwhisker was making his every move controlled and concise. Even his grooming was full of precision. He wanted to look his best in front of her even if she couldn't see him in the dim light of the moon. By the time he was finished, Sandstar was already asleep.

Finally, Ashwhisker's racing heart settled as he slowly became used to the idea of being so close to Sandstar. Just as he was very close to being asleep ("accidentally" scooting closer to Sandstar all the while) a small white apprentice with green eyes burst into the cave and immediately woke Sandstar up. Sandstar was a very light sleeper, apparently.

"Sandstar!!! Puff…puff The medicine cats… They're here!!!! They want to speak to you!!!"

Sandstar was already on her feet. Ashwhisker, deciding to stay close, followed the two cats out of the cave. He struggled to keep up with the bouncing white tom and the fast-walking Sandstar. He cursed under his breath; it was the only time he had to be near her- she was so _busy _all the time!

The small, suddenly talkative, apprentice kept up a steady stream of chatter as he led them on a path towards the edge of the territory. At one point he was so enthusiastic that he tripped head over heels and started rolling until Ashwhisker caught him by the scruff of his neck and set him down again.

On the way, the tom told them of everything they would ever need to know about him, including a lot of things they already knew because _they_ told _him_. They were told about his apprentice ceremony, who his parents were, what his name was (Littlepaw) the first prey he caught, his sweetheart, ect. until Ashwhisker stopped trying to add his own comments and let his mind go blank.

Soon Littlepaw led them to the center point of the four clans, GatherTrees, where the other cats were waiting. Mosstail was already there, along with the other medicine cats. The Oceanclan cat was a large shecat with soft blue-grey fur and large round eyes. Her name was Sparrowlight.

The Treeclan cat was a shecat named Moonclaw, a long furred off-white cat with oversized claws.

Only the Shadeclan medicine tom was missing. His name was Smoldertail.

Ashwhisker, realizing he was the only tom in the clearing (Littlepaw having run back to Cliffclan as soon as the other cats were in sight) felt his face burning. He tried to concentrate on what the cats were talking about, but his mind kept wandering back to Sandstar. A few words drifted through his mind.

"We need to act…"

"Shadeclan…"

"Border…"

"Where is leader?..."

"Strange smells… cats scented…"

Ashwhisker sat in a daze, trying to soak in all he was hearing. Burrstar was missing from his clan and cats were scented on the borders? Maybe they were plotting their takeover methods… The clans needed to act! Shadeclan must be stopped! Luckily, the next Gathering was in only a week- it would be the perfect time to rally the clans! But he would leave that to Sandstar. In the meantime he would spread the news.

Ashwhisker was brought down from his thoughts when the meeting was over and the cats started wandering back to their clans. He felt a nudge on his shoulder and looked up to see Sandstar watching him, head cocked.

"What were you thinking of?" she asked.

"Nothing really. Just thinking, isn't it all rather odd? What motive would Shadeclan have?"

"A crazy leader and clan members willing to follow him."

Ashwhisker nodded and they started on the long walk back to the camp. Not being able to bear the uncomfortable silence between him and Sandstar, he struck up a conversation. It didn't go well, though. Soon after they started back it fizzled out.

Then Ashwhisker had a sudden thought.

"Will we have a clan meeting? Shouldn't the clan know what is happening?"

"No. Not until the Gathering" she replied. "But it is our duty to remain vigilant in the face of possible danger."

He knew she was right. The queens shouldn't have to worry about their newborns and the apprentices might get the wrong idea and march off to help.

Just before they got back to camp, Ashwhisker knew his heart could not bear to walk away without telling her how he felt. He had been waiting for a chance like this for many moons. He braced himself, and turned to face her just when the moonlight lit up her face and the leaves around them.

"I need to talk to you, Sandstar. I really can't take this anymore! Ever since we were apprentices… when you made me deputy… after her… my heart has been steadily taken by you. Please, please, listen to what I have to say without interrupting."

Her face registered amazement as she realized what he was talking about. He almost lost heart, but he knew he couldn't give up then.

He told her of all that he felt and explained why he always seemed so cold around her. Finally, after rambling for a while, she stopped him. The look in Sandstar's eyes were unfathomable.

"You could have told me before now. You kept this hidden you entire life? I don't know why… I really thought you hated me."

Ashwhisker winced as he realized that it was his hard, careless attitude around her that had convinced her that he hated her.

"Do you realize how sudden this is? I'm glad, no, honored that you like me this much…but I really don't know how to respond."

She shook her head as she make up her mind.

"We need to forget this happened. No… I said that wrong. We need to let time take its course. Lets leave the matter alone for awhile, Starclan knows we have enough to do, and see how it goes. Right now, I will go talk to Mosstail privately. Go back to my cave, and _please _be asleep by the time I get back." she pleaded.

She walked off, Ashwhisker staring at her.

How could he reject her like that? Especially after Skywhisper had died of blackcough! Now his heart had been broken twice. Well, at least he still had a chance, though. She hadn't exactly told him, NO!

He sat forlornly in the clearing until a chilly breeze picked up and he made his way back to the cave, his mind in a turmoil.

**Please tell all about how I did!!! **

**By the way, my next chapter will explain all the characters. Oh, and now a word from our sponsor, Shadow:**

**REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Oh, and WOOF!**


	3. Character's List

**Yay, new Characters List!!!!!**

**By the way, if you see a **

**(((((((((((((((((PAGE BREAK PAGE BREAK))))))))))))))))))))**

**Than that means I have not yet figured out a way to put an actual one in.**

**CLIFFCLAN**

**Leader: Sandstar**

**(Characters I have already introduced will not have an explanation about their appearance.)**

**Deputy: Ashwhisker**

**Medicine cat: Mosstail**

**WARRIORS:**

**Pepperpelt- silver tabby tom. Mate of Wheatfeather.**

**Woodstripe- brown tom with dark brown stripe down back.**

**Wolfeye- blue-grey shecat with a short tail**

**Eagleclaw- calico shecat with brown eyes.**

**Boulderleaf- black tom with green eyes. Mate of Snowpelt.**

**APPRENTICES:**

**Stripepaw- gold and brown striped shecat **

**Drizzlepaw- blue grey tom.**

**Bearpaw- husky dark brown tom.**

**Brightpaw- Long-furred red shecat.**

**Littlepaw- medicine cat apprentice.**

**KITS:**

**Crystalkit-white shecat**

**Icekit- tabby tom with light blue eyes.**

**Wolfkit- calico shecat.**

**Shadowkit- black tom**

**Dawnkit- orange red shecat**

**QUEENS:**

**Snowpelt- white furred cat with dark blue eyes.**

**Wheatfeather- orange-white cat with white paws and long fur.**

**ELDERS:**

**Icepatch- light grey shecat with white back.**

**Raggedfur- black-brown tom with orange eyes.**

**Mudbranch- dark brown shecat**

**Tanpelt- tan longfurred tom**

**SHADECLAN:**

**Leader: Burrstar- brown tom with light brown eyes**

**Deputy: Eaglestripe- blue-grey fur; mate of Waterflower. **

**Medicine cat: Smoldertail**

**WARRIORS:**

**Firewhisker- reddish furred tom. Mate of Whitedawn.**

**Darkjaw- (HA! Jordan!) black long furred tom. Mate of Fernwilt. **

**Whitedawn- pale orange shecat.**

**Waterflower- silver tabby shecat. **

**Redfoot- dark brown tom with red boots.**

**APPRENTICES:**

**Robinpaw- reddish tom.**

**Emptypaw- absent-minded shecat, but very loyal.**

**Glasspaw- Calm medicine cat apprentice. Shecat.**

**Goldpaw- Brown tom with light boots.**

**KITS:**

**Fluffkit- white shecat.**

**Riverkit- silver tom**

**Dragonkit- tabby shecat**

**ELDERS:**

**Rainfire: once strong red-orange shecat**

**Mustystep- brown patched tom; mate of Rainfire**

**QUEENS:**

**Fernwilt- mate of Darkjaw**

**TREECLAN**

**Leader: Morningstar**

**Deputy: Battleheart- dark grey tom**

**Medicine cat: Moonclaw**

**WARRIORS:**

**Bluefire- light grey-blue tom.**

**Sunwhisker- yellow-gold shecat.**

**Mousestump- Tan-brown tom.**

**Sheartail- black tom- mate of Thornmask.**

**Thornmask- Orange shecat with large eyes- clawed by fox on face**

**APPRENTICES:**

**Treepaw- brown camouflaged tom**

**Splitpaw- Silver and black tom**

**Slashpaw- white quick shecat- medicine cat apprentice**

**QUEENS:**

**Flowerfoot- mate of Battleheart**

**ELDERS:**

**Whiteblizzard- Large pure-white shecat**

**Moonsmoke- off-white smoky shecat**

**Lightbud- Pale yellow and orange tom**

**OCEANCLAN:**

**Leader: Whitestar**

**Deputy: Riverstrike**

**Medicine cat: Sparrowlight**

**WARRIORS:**

**Widefang-Large toothed tom with spotted brown fur **

**Juniperwave- blue long-furred shecat**

**Coconutpalm- tan shecat**

**Firepelt- bright red tom with an orange tail.**

**APPRENTICES:**

**Wildpaw-cheerful shecat with orange fur. **

**Calmpaw- Sister of Wildpaw- off-white shecat.**

**Lightpaw- Silver tom**

**Tosspaw- Dark orange tom**

**Yellowpaw- Black tom with gold eyes.**

**Strawpaw- yellow tom with brown eyes.**

**QUEENS:**

**Flowernight-blue-grey cat; mate of Shinewater**

**Sparkeshine- black with white spots- mate of Firepelt.**

**KITS:**

**Clamkit- pale tom with blue specks in fur.**

**Sandkit- Sandy shecat with orange boots.**

**Skykit- dark grey tom with blue eyes**

**ELDERS:**

**Rowenoak- brown tom with green eyes. Originally a rouge from Rhode Island (haha that's funny—NOT!)**

**OTHER CATS (NOT IN CLANS)**

**Darigan- crazy tom that roams the land**


End file.
